Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier

“There’s things happen at Jamaica Inn, Mary, that I’ve never dared to breathe. Bad things. Evil things. I dare not even admit them to myself.”

On a gloomy November evening, Mary Yellan finds herself on the way to Jamaica Inn and into an uncertain future. Her mother’s dying wish was for Mary to find a home with her beloved sister, Aunt Patience. However, upon her arrival Mary is greeted by a crumbling structure that acts as a home to violent acts and dark secrets. Her Aunt Patience is a shadow of the woman she used to be; meek, frightened and at the mercy of her abusive husband. Mary is thrust into the eery environment of her new home and as she slowly uncovers her uncle’s crimes, she gets swept up in the madness. Meanwhile, an unexpected connection and attraction to her uncle’s brother develops, leaving her questioning just who she can trust.

“Dead men tell no tales, Mary.”

I absolutely love Daphne du Maurier’s writing. She creates atmosphere like no other and I cannot help but be completely drawn into whichever story she tells. This is my third du Maurier novel, after Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed, and Jamaica Inn is no exception. As soon as I started reading I was transported to this eerie, unsettling environment and became completely engrossed in Mary’s story. What secrets hide within Jamaica Inn? What will happen to Mary? Who is there to trust? Question after question kept me engaged and the atmosphere was absolutely chilling. The constant air of uncertainty kept me guessing and I was truly not sure where the story would go. There were a couple of sections where I would have preferred a quicker pace and for the story to progress a little faster, but I never wanted to put the book down. Atmospheric and captivating, Jamaica Inn is another must-read Daphne du Maurier novel.